Circuit-closer for mail-box alarms.



S. F. GULLEY.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR MAIL BOX ALARMS.

APPLICATION FILED IuNE I7` I9I5.

Patented June 13, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR MAIL BOX ALARMS.

APPLlcATxoN man :UNE 17. 1915.

1 1 86,769 Patented June 13, 1916.

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.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL F. GULLEY, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR MAIL-BOX ALARMS.

Application filed .Tune 17, 1915.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL F. GULLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, inthe countyy of Douglas, and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsn Circuit-Closers for Mail-Box Alarms; and I do declare the following: to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itj appertains to `'make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in circuit closers for `electric mail box alarms to be actuated when mail or the like is placed in the mail box, the invention being primarily. designed for use in' rural districts wherein the mail receptacles areV positioned at points remote from the dwellings of the owners thereof. Y

The object of the invention is to-provide means of the class set forth which although being of very simple construction, will be highly efficient in operation and-will possess a number of advantageous features.

In describing the invention I shall refer to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention to use.; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the mail box disclosing more particularly the construction of the circuit closing means therein, the top of the box being closed; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the position of parts when the top is partially raised; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the closer actuating lever and theparts v carried thereby; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the contact bar to be described; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the alarm box showing the disposition of parts therein.

In these drawings which constitute a part of the application, D designates a suburban dwelling, while B represents a mail boxpositioned at a point remote fromthe dwelling upon a mail route. It is the intention ofthe invention to actuate a combined visual and audible alarm when the top-of the box B. is raised for the purpose of placing mail therein, for which purpose such an alarm is positioned within the alarm box b at a suitable point in the dwelling D, a pairof wires YV and W lead from the box Z) to the boxB, a suitable battery being disposed between the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Serial No. 34,690.

ends of one of said wires; and the circuit closer C is disposed in the mail box B to be i-ctuated upon raising of the top T of said The circuit closer previously mentioned comprises a fixed contact bar 1 standing substantially upright at one end of the box B, said bar being provided with attaching feet 2 andk 2a which are` secured to but insulated from the box, the foot 2 being provided with a binding post 2b to which one of the wires W is connected. One edge of the contact bar 1 is preferably though not neces-V sarily providedwith a plurality of rack teeth 1'9L which, when the top T is moved, are engaged by a pinion 3 carried by one end of a slidably mounted contact member 4, this member being here shown in the form of a bolt pressed toward the bar 1 by a coiled spring 5, the other wire 7' being electrically connected by means yet to be described with the bolt 4, whereby when the top T is being either raised or lowered, the pinion 3 will travel upon the bar 1 and will complete the circuit of the batteries for actuating the alarm in the box o. It is to be observed, however., ythat when the top T is either totally open or entirely closed, the pinion 3 is disposed out of contact with the bar 1, thereby breaking the circuit.

The bolt 4 may be slidably carried by practically any preferred type of guide movable with the top T, but this guide is preferably formed in the following manner. One end of a flat lever 6 which is fulcrumed between its ends at 7 to one end of the mail box, is given a quarter-twist at 8 and is then projected laterally from the lever to provide a guide arm 9 lying at substantially right angles thereto, while secured by any preferred means to said lever at a point spaced from the arm 9, is an additional guide arm 10, this arm being shown as formed of a flat strip of metal having one of its ends given a quarter-twist and secured to the lever 6, while its body portion projects laterally from said lever into substantially parallel spaced relation with the arm 9. The two arms 9 and 10 are provided with alined openings in which the bolt 4 is slidably mounted, while the spring 5 is interposed between the arm 10 and an appropriate stop on said bolt, the tension of this spring being exerted to force the bolt 4 in a direction to cause the pinion 3 to travel upon the bar 1 when the top T is being actuated, but the shifting of said bolt when the pinion leaves one end or the other of the bar 1, is limited by a stop 11 carried by said bolt and then disposed in contact with the side of the arm l0 remote from said bar.

The construction just described, although being extremely simple, is very e'lilcientin operation, but it becomes expedient .to rigidly braco the arm 10 from the rigid arm 9. For this purpose, the end of said arm 10 is preferably bent upon itself as at 12, is then continued laterally to the arm 9 and is provided at this point with a foot 14 secured to said arm 9. This is likewise very elicient construction for producing the desired results.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the fulcrum 7 of the lever 6 passes through the upper end of an L-shaped bracket 15, the lower end of this bracket being provided with a foot secured to the end of the box B by any preferred means, said end being disposed in the downward path of the front arm of the lever 6, whereby to limit the movement of said lever. lVhen this lever is checked in its movement by contact with the lower end of the bracket, the top T is disposed in open position, said top and the rear end of the lever being connected by suitable link means 16, whereby opening and closing of the top T will actuate the lever 6, thus completing or breaking the circuit of the alarm means as the case may be, it being evident from the drawings that the wire WV is electically connected to the fulcrum 7 which, in the present case, is a binding post.

Co-acting with the unique construction above described, is the alarm mechanism in the box b, this mechanism including an electric bell 20 which is actuated upon closing of the circuit and which in turn releases a support 2l upon which a weighted signal .plate 22 normally rests, thus allowing this plate to drop by gravity and to be exposed to view through an opening 23 in the box Z). It will be evident that the bell 20 will be sounded only when the box B is being opened and closed but that the signal plate 22 will remain in lowered position until again manually raised by pulling downwardly upon a cord 24 connected thereto. With this arrangement of parts it will be evident that should the ringing of the bell be inaudible for any reason, a glance through the view opening 23 from time to time will indicate whether or not mail has been placed in the box. This manner of operation is particularly advantageous when the dwelling is unoccupied at numerous periods each From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that although very simple construction has been provided for mounted slidably, and means connecting said guide with the closure for moving the same in substantially parallel relation to the contact bar when said closure is moved.

2. In combination, a movable closure s. contact bar adjacent the same, a lever fulcrumed between its ends independently of` the'closure means connecting one end of said lever with said closure to move the other end of said lever in substantially parallel relation to the contact bar, and a contact member carried by said end of the lever and adapted to engage the contact bar when the closure is moved.

3. In combination, a movable closure, a contact bar adjacent the same, a lever fulcrumed independently of the closure and connected thereto for movement therewith, one end of said lever being movable in sub, stantially parallel relation to the contact bar, a guide member carried by said end of the lever', a contact bolt slidable in said guide, and spring means for forcing said bolt into engagement with the Contact bar when the closure is moved.

4. In combination, a movable closure, `a lever fulcrumed independently thereof and connected thereto for movement therewith, said lever having one end extended laterally and forming a guide arm, an additional guide arm projecting from the lever and diS- posed substantially parallel to the rst named arm, the two arms having alined openings, a spring pressed contact bolt slidable n said openings, and a contact member on which said bolt is adapted to travel when the closure is moved.

lever fulcrumed independently thereof and connected thereto for movement therewith,

said lever having one end extended laterally and forming a guide arm, an additional guide arm extending from the lever and disposed substantially parallel to the first named arm, the two arms having alined openings, a brace arm formed integrally with one of the Contact arms and rojecting therefrom to the other arm, said brace arm having a foot secured to the latter, a spring pressed contact bolt slidable in the openings in the two guide arms, and a contact member on which said bolt is adapted to travel when the closure is moved.

6. In combination, a movable closure, a. flat lever fulcrumed independently thereof but connected thereto for movement therela able in said openings, and a Contact member on which said bolt is adapted to travel when the closure is moved.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1-5 my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL F. GULLEY.

Witnesses:

A. B. STIGKLER, W. S. CLAwsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

